The invention resides in a constant velocity joint of mono-block design including an outer ring housing having an endwall with a shaft journal and an inner ring with internal axially extending toothing for accommodating a toothed shaft end and balls disposed in ball races formed between the inner ring outer rings for the transmission of torques between the inner and the outer rings.
A constant velocity joint of monoblock design is known for example from JP 523 1436 A. This joint comprises an outer ring housing provided with an end wall having a journal integrally formed therewith, an inner ring member with an internal toothing for receiving an end of a joint shaft and provided with axially extending ball races formed in the outer ring housing and also in the inner ring member as well as a ball cage for the transfer of torque from the outer ring housing to the inner ring member or vice versa. The ball race at the inner surface of the outer ring housing extends over the full length thereof, that is, from the open front to the end wall of the outer ring housing. The ball cage is axially longer than the inner ring member. A retaining ring is provided for retaining the balls, the ball cage and the inner ring member within the outer ring housing.
A constant velocity joint is a supplier component which is used by a drive shaft manufacturer in the manufacture of drive shafts. However, an immediate completion is not possible since, with an axial insertion of the drive shaft end section, the inner ring, the balls and the ball cage are moved toward the end wall while only the ball cage abuts the end wall. For establishing a press connection between the inner ring member with internal toothing and the end part of the shaft with outer toothing, the axial force applied via the drive shaft needs to be relatively large, whereby however the inner ring member is being pushed through the ball cage and could be damaged or destroyed in the process. In practice therefore, in a first step the constant velocity joint is removed, in a second step the inner ring member with internal toothing is mounted, with a press-fit, onto the end part of the drive shaft, in a third step, the inner ring member, the balls and the ball cage are inserted into outer ring housing and, in a fourth step, are retained therein by the installation of a retaining ring. The disassembly and re-assembly of the constant velocity joint however is time-consuming and, furthermore, may be the source of failures, for example, by failing to install one of the balls into the universal joint.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a universal joint which facilitates the installation thereof into a driveshaft.